THE LONDON PERIOD.
(April 1902 – April 1903) Continued.
Prepared for publication by V. I. NEVSKY.

1 (94 a) 1).

A. N. POTRESOV — V. I. LENIN.

Dear [Lenin],

April 8, 1902.

I have just received your letter of the 6th. I hope that by now you have received my letter with remarks *). My head is still not functioning altogether properly, and I was able to express only my general impression and was not in a position to enter into more detailed criticism.

From the letter of G. V. [Plekhanov] I see that he is rather irritated and beginning to harbor separatist tendencies. This is very bad and must be **resisted with all our might**. The "Diary of a Writer" 3), appearing separately, independently, carries a **disorganizing element**. If G. V. [Plekhanov] has an itch for publicistic work, he need only intensify his publicistic contributions to *Iskra*; it might even be possible to publish supplements to the issues of *I[skra]* (appearing simultaneously with the newspaper and constituting part of it) and turn them over to his "Diary" under his signature.

As for handing over *Zarya* and transferring it to Zh[eneva], I am categorically opposed. That would be decisive. A journal, though to a lesser degree than a newspaper, can prove to be an organizational, rallying force. This G. V. [Plekhanov] is not capable of accomplishing. Then under his editorial leadership it will gradually change its character and become more abstract, more academic. I judge this from my Geneva recollections. Remember how he was planning the first issue of the journal back then?

So I repeat once more — **defend with all your might your independence**, and tell Berg [Martov] that one would need to live through what you and I lived through 1½ years ago in order to cling so to the status quo 4).

Try to make Vel[ike] Dm[itriевne] [Vera Ivanovna Zasulich] and Evgeny [Deich] understand what you can. Whatever you find possible, convey to them from my letter as well.

Your letter today has completely thrown me off balance — one has to move, and suddenly again — *diese alte Geschichte*, which still remains the same! 5) I understand that it is hard for G[eorgy] Valentin[ovich] [Plekhanov], but in party terms in the status quo lies all our salvation. Otherwise there will be disintegration.

Well, I grip your hand firmly.

Stay strong, hold firm.

Yours ...

1) To facilitate study and reference, we append to the serial numbering of the published letters (in parentheses) numbers indicating the place of the given letter in the general series of *Iskra* editorials' correspondence, begun in III "Lenin Collection." Thus the designation in parentheses "94 a" indicates that the given letter chronologically follows the letter published in III "Lenin Collection" as No. 94, etc.

2) A. N. Potresov's letter to V. I. Lenin with remarks on the draft programs of Lenin and Plekhanov from April 2, 1902 (see "Lenin Collection" II, pp. 105–107).

3) A. N. Potresov speaks here of G. V. Plekhanov's proposal in connection with the transfer of the *Iskra* editorial office to London to agree to the publication by him of "a little newspaper like Dostoevsky's 'Diary of a Writer'." (See "Lenin Collection" II, document 18, p. 111 and "Lenin Collection" III, pp. 399–400.)

4) Status quo — the present situation. A. N. Potresov alludes to those negotiations between Lenin and Potresov with Plekhanov in August 1900, which were reflected in Vladimir Ilyich's note "How *Iskra* Almost Went Out" (see "Lenin Collection" I, p. 33).

5) *Diese alte Geschichte* — this old story, which still remains new.

Lenin Collection, IV.
7